


The Bells of Whitechapel

by Corpyburd



Series: Lost Threads of Ripper Street [3]
Category: Frankalena - Fandom, Ripper Street
Genre: F/M, Fights, Missing Threads, Missing stories, Police, Relationship(s), Romance, Sarcasm, Swearing, Victorian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-03 10:25:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10965333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corpyburd/pseuds/Corpyburd
Summary: Jedediah Shine is now in charge of Leman Street. Bennet Drake is buried, Reid, Jackson and Susan are on the run in Whitechapel.Frank Thatcher receives an unexpected visit to the station from Magdalena Dobrowski, a Polish immigrant to London. Previously Captain Jackson transfused Frank's matched blood to stop her from dying.She has a favour to ask of Frank, in what is, a dark time indeed for Leman Street.





	1. The Favour

Magdalena stopped at the bottom step of Leman Street Police station and looked up at the large double wooden doors. In the distance of Whitechapel she heard bells strike the hour.  


The last time she had been here it had certainly not been under auspicious circumstances. But as much as she had been in trouble with the police before, who else could she trust with this dilemma. 

Looking to her left and right to see if she recognised anyone in the street she then wrapped her shawl tightly around her, as if it would disguise her, and began to ascend the station's steps.  


Desk Sergeant Samuel Drummond popped his head round the main office door and beckoned to Detective Sergeant Frank Thatcher who was sitting at his Leman Street desk, leaning back in his chair, half asleep.

"Woman asking for you at the front desk Frank" he announced in his monotone voice.  


"Asked for you personally, won't tell me what it is about."  


He could see that Drummond was checking the room to see who was still there when Frank immediately jumped out of his chair, yawned and stretched his arms. Drummond was still standing in the doorway as he approached. "It's Magdalena" Samuel whispered and quickly return back through to his front desk.

Frank quickly grabbed his jacket from the coat stand, stopping at the door to look at his reflection in the glass panels. Fixing his tie and checking that his appearance was tidy before finally going through to the front desk at the Station.  


Magdalena Dobrowski stood at the desk, looking back out of the main doors in her long blue dress with knitted grey shawl around her shoulders. Her golden blond hair in a voluminous braid which flowed down the left hand side of her face and which gave her an air of graceful elegance. Frank stared at her for several seconds. He was glad to see her again and the thought of her asking for him personally, made this somewhat dark day, brighter.

"Come this way, Miss Dobrowski."He announced.

She turned round to face him and smiled.  


He nodded to Drummond in thanks then ushered her through into the main office towards his dark oak desk and grabbed another chair from the opposite desk. Only one other officer was still in that room, sitting at his desk, writing up reports.  


And it was indeed luck that Inspector Shine had gone out on another feverish search with the other officers, looking for the Leman Street fugitives. He knew if Shine came back now he would have to suffer an inquisition on Magdalena.  


Frank offered Magdalena a seat, she accepted and sat down.  


She felt a little uneasy as she remembered her last visit to this place but it somehow it seemed eerily quiet today. Scanning the room and it's tall windows she became aware of the smell that came with this place - wood polish, leather, tobacco, the sweat of men and then ..... she lowered her eyes towards Sergeant Thatcher as she caught the spicy aromatics of his cologne. This she had noticed before, this and his kind eyes.  


Frank sat across from her, his hands clasped. She started to speak but he interrupted her.

"Would you like a tea or coffee Miss Dobrowski?"

She was a little put out by his interruption. "I don't want to be much trouble Sergeant."

"No trouble at all" Frank insisted.

"Tea would be fine thank you."

Frank turned in his seat and leaned over to the only other officer there who was a few years younger than him.

"Joe, get the lady some tea, would you?"

Joe rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Do you see me wearing an apron Frank? And Shine wants these reports ..."

"JOE!"

"Okay, okay. I get the point. And I suppose I have to FINISH MY reports elsewhere?"

Frank raised his eyes towards the ceiling then replied in a sarcastic manner. "I'm sure Drum would LOVE your company today Joe".  


Joe gathered his paperwork and stomped off out the room.

"SO Miss Dobrowski, how can I help you?"

"Well Sergeant Thatcher. I come to ask a favour. It is for my friend, Sara, her ring ..... it was stolen."

Frank took out his notebook and pencil while listening to Magdalena.

"Was it a robbery from her home, at work ... a mugging?"

"No. From the work place. From her hand .."

"Her HAND!" Frank exclaimed with an incredulous look.  


Magdalena became annoyed by his reaction. Maybe this was not such a good idea but her friend's ring, it was so dear to her, a family item, then she resolved to continue.  


Giving Frank a hard stare, she lowered the tone of her voice.

"She had fallen asleep at her work table. She was unwell the night before .... and had been late for work, Sergeant Thatcher. She stayed into the evening but .... she fell asleep. She woke up. Her ring was gone."  


Frank smiled back at her in an attempt to soften the mood. He knew that Magdalena would not tolerate any of his harsh lambastings. And that's what he liked about her.

"Do you suspect anyone who would thieve like this at your work?"  


"There is a boy who sweeps and cleans. We caught him last week stealing food at work. We did not tell anyone about it. He would have lost his job but the girls dealt with it themselves."  


"Dealt with it?" he said alarmingly  


Magdalena's face started to redden.

"They stripped him and paddled his ..... how do you say ... back side."  


This appealed to Frank's sense of humour and he couldn't help grinning at the whole thought of that scene. But his grin quickly dropped when he remembered that Jackson and Reid had stripped him to teach him a lesson recently and he continued on with his questioning.  


"So do you think it was him?"  


"No. He denies it and, yes, I believe him. I am sure none of the other girls did this. They had left. But our Foreman was also there that night. He did not help Sara to search for it and told her to go home so he could close up the workshop which was earlier than he usually did."  


"This ring, can you describe it?"  


"I can do better than that Sergeant Thatcher."  


Magdalena put her right hand into the pocket on her blue dress and extracted a scrap of paper. She opened it up to reveal a detailed drawing of a ring.  


Frank was in a little awe of the drawing with delicate fine outlines.  


"Such a beautiful drawing Miss Dobrowski. You have an eye for detail and a talent for illustration."  


Magdalena smiled at these compliments. Something she was not used to receiving and it had eased the humour of the interview. And also, this man, had saved her life and she had never thanked him for that.  


The office door opened and Joe returned with a saucer and china teacup balanced on it.  


"Only one cup Joe?"  


Joe returned Frank an indignant look. "You said tea for the LADY, FRANK!" then he mumbled his displeasure, turned and went back out the door.  


"Milk, sugar, Magdalena?"  


"Milk and one teaspoon of sugar" but she instinctively took the milk jug from Frank, and accidently touched his hand.

"No, it's okay Sergeant, I will do this." And started to blush realising she had touched him. She replaced the milk and sugar on the Frank's desk then lifted her cup to drink her tea.

Frank decided to move things forward incase Shine decided to come back so he decided to tell her of his plan of investigation.  


"I have some contacts who might know where a ring like this may be fenced." Frank said as he looked at the drawing.  


"Fenced?"  


"Sorry Magdalena, I know you are unfamiliar with our police terms. A "Fence" is a criminal and they profit by paying thieves a very low price for stolen goods. They disguise the stolen nature of it, so that they can sell them nearer the market price."  


"You will do this, investigate this, for my friend?"  


"Of course. And also because you ask it of me, Miss Dobrowski."  


She smiled coyly at him.  


"The ring is very dear to my friend. It was her grandmothers, then her mothers."  


"Your friend Sara. She is feeling better?"  


Impressed that he had remembered her friends name, she nodded and carried on drinking her tea.  


"She still has a bad cough and sore throat" she suddenly voiced and was immediately embarrassed by her admission. Why did she have to justify her friend was still ill, was it nerves or something else? She finished her tea and put down her cup.  


"I'd better go now Sergeant Thatcher. I promised Sara I would look after her back at our lodgings. She does not know I am here."  


"Miss Dobrowski can you write down your address here, on the back of your drawing. I promise to be discreet. But please, you do not need to be so formal. Please call me Frank"  


Magdalena looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"What?"  


"It does not say that on your Warrant card?" 

She nodded towards him. "Your name on your card, is longer than - Frank!"  


"Frank. It's short for Francis."  


"Francis." repeated Magdalena. "Francis, I like Francis better."  


"And you should call me Magdalena." and she wrote her address on the back of the drawing.  


He grinned back at her. At least they were on first name terms.  


She stood up, pushing her chair back and pulled her gray woollen shawl around her shoulders. Frank stepped forward to show her out. He held the office door open to let her through and he caught the scent of rose water as she passed close to him. She lowered her head as she past the front desk, ignoring the other officers on the way out.  


It was late afternoon and Frank watched Magdalena walk out of the station's door. Then she turned her head to look back at him. He hadn't expected that.  


He had loved her since they first met. It was as simple as that.   


She decended the stairs into Leman Street, turned, then she was gone.  


He took out the drawing of the ring and memorised the address she written on it then placed it back in his notebook.  


"You'll have to write this one in the book Frank. You know what Shines like?"  


Frank didn't even bother to turn round, then sighed.  


"No need Drum. No case here. Just asked if I can put some pressure on their young work lad caught stealing a bit of food. Give him a bit of a fright, so to speak."  


"You give us a fright with your face by turning up here everyday Frank!."  


"Drum" said Frank, turning round to face this sarcasm from Samuel. "When did YOU start wearing Mathilda's knickers?"  


He never waited for a reply and walked back to his desk. If the thief had kept the ring, that would be a problem but if they had tried to sell it, he knew what he must do next. 


	2. Stolen Goods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frank Thatcher is in search of a missing ring but things get out of hand when someone else decides to tag along on his investigation.

Off down the dark cobbled lanes of Whitechapel Sergeant Frank Thatcher went. First stop Petticoat lane flea market but that proved unproductive, and it was the same answer from informants in The Brown Bear, The Ten Bells and the other pubs of Whitechapel. No leads, just dark tales of Jedediah Shine.  
  
His heart was now heavy in what might be a futile search for this ring, but he still had an inkling to where it might have been fenced and was just glad to be out of Leman Street. Inspector Shine had also returned empty handed and, boy oh boy, was he in one vile mood.  
  
Drum looked more tense than usual as he and the rest of the men watched Shine punch the living daylight out of a wanted poster of Ed Reid, leaving it ripped and bloodied. And that was not the first time that had happened. Frank's opinion of Shine had radically changed after these increasing episodes, the way he pitted the officers against each other and the way he treated the prisoners. It was torture not interrogation that the Inspector now used.  
  
With Inspector Drake gone, the work and relationship dynamics of their Leman Street station changed. Frank sorely missed Bennet Drake. Bennet could give you a right rollicking but was always firm but fair. Shine on the other hand was becoming more manic and sinister as the days progressed.  
  
"He's on opium. Has to take it a regular, like." one of his colleagues had whispered in The Brown Bear. One of the too few after shift drinks which had become very sombre affairs now.  
  
Donald Artherton, the old Leman Street desk Sergeant still frequented the bar on occasions and was still in shock about Inspector Drake and what was happening at Leman Street . "No good will come of the reinstatement of Jedediah Shine. You keep away from him lad" Don cautioned Frank. With the passing of every day, Shine was sucking the very essence out of H Division.  
  
Frank now headed through Whitechapel to his last line of investigation - the pawn shops - 6 in total that circled that area. He scanned their windows before entering. A flash of his warrant card and he produced Magdalena's drawing in the first shop but nothing. Would they know where this ring would be likely to end up? - the quiet shake of the head said it all. Very soon it was 3 down, 3 still to go.  
  
He stopped at the fourth shop's window, Jarrott and Son, and spotted it straight away. There it was, sitting pretty in the back row. He took out Magdalena's drawing to reference it. "Clever girl" he whispered under his breath, the detailing on her drawing was an exact match for the real thing.  
  
Entering Jarrott Pawn shop he heard the tinkling of the door bell above him which let the owners know someone had entered the shop.  
  
A polite "Good day Sir" came from the elderly gentleman behind the counter. "How may I help you?"  
  
"Can I see the silver ring in your window? "It's in tray L."  
  
It was his wife who retrieved the tray of rings from his window and as she came back she began "It's a fine example of silverwa..." the couple had now spotted Frank's warrant card on the counter which halted the conversation.  
  
Mrs Jarrott scowled at her husband and muttered "I knew he would bring trouble - gossip it may be but knowing he gambles .... and debts."  
  
"Who Ma'm?" asked Frank.  
  
The husband retrieved the pawn ticket stub from one of the many drawers of their large wooden counter and placed it in front of Frank.  
  
"He's the Foreman of the Polish sweatshop, Tomaz Woznick." Mr Jarrott looked at his wife then at Frank.  
  
"Look " said Frank to the couple "I promise to get your money back from this - tea leaf. Trust me?"  
  
"I hear Inspector Shine is back." Mr Jarrott declared choosing to ignore Frank's question. "In charge of H-Division, so I suppose he'll be looking for his usual dues?"  
  
That word "dues" struck home in Frank's head. He knew what they meant by that. Protection money. Bloody police protection money.  
  
Placing the ring and Magdalena's drawing in his inside jacket pocket he picked up the ticket, scrutinising the signature again, he made a hasty exit through the doorway - and straight into Jedediah Shine - nearly knocking him sideways.  
  
"Holy shit ..... Shine .... Inspector Shine! "  
  
"THATCHER" yelled Shine, straightening himself up. "What the 'ell are ..... what's your hurry lad? Your hat on fire or trying to kill ol' Shine? Eh?"  
  
Frank picked up Shines black and silver topped walking stick, handing it back to Jedediah. "Just following a lead on stolen goods, Inspector." "Looks like someone wanting to get some easy cash and you never know where that might lead" he said lying through his teeth.  
  
"Don't let me detain you Inspector" Frank went on. "I know your a busy man"  
  
"Only on my way to speak to Mathilda Reid about her Pappy, but it can wait Frank. This sounds ..... sounds interesting."  
  
That, was the answer that Frank was dreading. Dragging Shine along to the clothing workshop were Magdalena was employed was the last thing he needed but, he knew, you never said no to Shine. He had learned that the hard way.  
  
With a hefty slap on Frank's back they set off through the ever darkening cobbled streets of Whitechapel and it did not take long before they were standing in front of the workshop. The door was ajar and Frank could see a lanky boy with a mess of dark unkept hair, no shoes on his feet, his clothes full of patches, sweeping the contents of the workshop floor out of the entrance.  
  
Frank shouted to him as he came to the door. "Your Foreman. Where is he? " but Shine never even waited for the reply and simply barged passed Frank into the building.  
  
The boy looked at both of them as Frank brought out his warrant card. He wondered if the boy could read. "At the The King's Head" the lad went on "Gambling. Probably cheating at cards" he sighed pointing across the street while leaning on his brush.  
  
Shine stopped suddenly and quickly turned on his heels at the boys remark. "Well, looks like The King's Head for us, Thatcher. Stolen goods and a card cheat. Wonder what else this miscreant has been up to?" and left.  
  
Frank looked round the room and spotted Magdalena. He put his left forefinger to his lips. He then took a penny from his pocket and flipped towards the boy who caught it. The lad looked up and Frank gave him a cheeky wink. Skinny he may be, he thought, but the boys reactions were excellent.  
  
Shine and Thatcher stormed through the doors of The King's Head. Frank noticed the boy had followed them but stopped outside pub doors.  
  
It was an old ale house with a gutter running round the front of the main bar. The smell of stale urine, beer, pipe tobbacco and cheap hair oil filled the air. Through the haze of the smoke in the far corner, 4 men were sat, playing cards, but never looked up to see who was coming.  
  
"MR WOZNICK" Shine barked at the table of card players looking to see who would lift their eyes.  
  
"PISS OFF!" cursed the player with his back to them at the table. "Can't you see ...."  
  
Without warning, Shine punched that man clean out of his chair then looked at the rest of players. "YOU WOZNICK? he bellowed pointing his walking stick at the player beside the punched man. "Ye, ye...yess" the man stammered.  
  
Shine grabbed him by the collar and hauled him out his seat. Slamming his black walking stick down hard onto the table he scattered the contents onto the floor then kicked the chair over and upended the table. Dropping his walking stick, he repeatedly punched and pummeled the man until he slid down the wall.  
  
Christ almighty, Frank uttered under his breath. Shine was insane!  
  
Shine pulled the beaten man up again and hissed "Been stealing, have we?"  
  
"N ... no" he gasped and groaned  
  
"Sergeant Thatcher, do you have a hanky so I can wipe the bullshit from this man's lips?" Shine cackled who now started to go through the man's pockets.  
  
It was at this Frank noticed a set of workshop keys on the floor. He righted the players table and chair and began to throw the gambling proceedings into the middle of it and quickly slipped the keys into his back pocket.  
  
Shine threw the man's wallet onto the table and extracted 3 pocket watches, 4 tie pins, 2 silk handkerchiefs, a woman's gold bracelet with red stones, 2 cigarette lighters from Woznick's pockets. Frank opened Woznicks wallet. For a man in debt he seemed pretty flush with money.  
  
Shine dragged Woznick back up and pinned him up against the wall, almost face to face with him. "What do think Sergeant?"  
  
Frank had been watching the other players and customers in the pub when Shine said this, which made him a little nervous. Shine was becoming more deranged as time wore on.  
  
"He's not short of a bob or two, Inspector Shine" replied Frank. "But I suppose Lady luck WAS on his side" and observed why Woznick was doing so well at this card game today. "Our friend seems to have a little something extra up his left sleeve?"  
  
Shine looked at Frank then back to Woznick with and evil grin and he pushed back the man's sleeve to reveal several face cards. "King, Queen, Jack and ace." He announced loudly, throwing them one by one onto the table. "YOU CHEATING BASTARD ..." shouted one of the other players "...SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ..."  
  
"Now, now gentlemen" chided Shine "Time for you to leave, I think. And let it be a lesson to you all about the sins of gambling. Let it be known that Jedediah Shine is back in Whitechapel and if he catches thieves or cheats, he will deal with them personally."  
  
The pub emptied pretty quickly after that remark. Shine removed Woznicks signet rings from his hands and threw them onto the gathering pile on the table. Frank thought that was a bit rich. Stealing the man's rings.  
  
Shine cuffed the man and dragged him by the collar suddenly stopping at the table. He loaded the contents of the pile into his pockets except for the coins. "Thinks ol' Shine will visit the pawnshop after all Thatch, catch up on old times"  
  
"Do you want me to take Woznick back to Leman Street, book him and do the report Inspector?" Asked Frank.  
  
"You know me and paperwork, Thatch. Think you're finished here today. I'll see what else this prick can tell me once I have him singing" From the glint in Jedediah's eye Frank knew what he meant. "What's left is yours" said Jedediah pointing his cane towards the pile of coins on the table and by the other hand he dragged his prisoner through the pub doors.  
  
Frank drew a sigh of relief and looked down at the table. He scooped the rest of the coins that lay there into his jacket pocket and headed out.  
  
"He ain't no Bennet Drake that Shine?" said the barman grimly. This stopped Frank in his tracks.  
With a sad air Frank replied "No sir. He is not." and took some coins from his pocket and placed them on the bar counter and left.  
  
Glad to be free of Shine now and his policing ways, if you could call it that, Frank headed back to the workshop.  
  
It's door was open and as he entered he could see there was a workers meeting , which sounded very heated but was in polish, taking place on the shop floor. It immediately stopped when they noticed Frank. He took out the works keys and placed the on the first work bench. "Someone will have to lock this place up? Magdalena stepped forward to pick them up.  
  
"I'm afraid Mr Woznick won't be back anytime soon." He went on. Magdalena looked at Frank then turned to her workmates and interpreted what he had just said. "And tell them your boy was right, Woznick was a card cheat and he was your thief."  
  
He had now reached into his pocket to retrieve the ring that Magdalena had originally tasked him in finding.  
  
Magdalena's friend Sara gasp and pushed through the crowd - a frail looking girl with dark circles under her eyes. Frank handed her the ring, she looked at it for several seconds then she grabbed his hand saying excitedly "Dziękuję, Dziękuję." He winked at Magdalena and she smiled back at him. "Can you ask your ladies if they had a gold bracelet stolen? It had several red stones - like rubies?" She asked them but only puzzled looks and head shaking came as a reply.  
  
It was then that Frank remembered something else. He emptied his pockets of the coins that he had lifted from the card game onto the bench. "This ..." he said scooping the last of it from his jacket pockets "... is what your old boss cheated out of other players today." "Buy something with it, food, especially for your boy, and get him some shoes!" pointing to the lads feet.  
  
"We will close for today and are going to speak to the owner about Mr Woznick ." said Magdalena.  


"The boy told us what happened over at the pub but we have also found out he was also drawing the wages of 5 women here, they do not exist, only on paper."  
  
"Do what you have to, girl."nodded Frank in approval.  
  
One of the girls started to sort through the coins and lifted 2 folded playing cards from the pile and opened them. She handed them to Magdalena and said something to her that Frank didn't understand but whatever it was it made Magdalena smile and blush at the same time.  
  
"Your Foreman was gambling with marked cards" revealed Frank, stepping forward to look at the cards he had accidently picked up.  
  
They were the Queen and Knave of hearts.  
  
"You will come by later?" smiled Magdalena. "There's something I need to tell you"  
  
He was taken a little back by her sudden request but gently replied "Of course."


	3. The Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magdalena had asked to speak with Frank Thatcher. Was this more police business or something else?

Arriving at the women's lodgings in Whitechapel's Commercial Street, Sergeant Thatcher lifted the metal door knocker and sharply rapped on the old wooden green entrance. It was a policeman's knock. His eyes flicked to the side window at the sign that said NO MEN ALLOWED, in English and several other languages.  
  
As he waited, he became aware of whispering coming from behind the door, and craned forward to listen while pulling at the collar of his shirt. Maybe he shouldn't have worn this one. But he had rushed a change, wash, and something to eat before heading back to see Magdalena, hoping he hadn't overdone it with cologne.  
  
The door slowly creaked open revealing a stern older woman standing in silence. Frank took off his hat but then went to pull out his warrant card. The woman suddenly moved aside, turning, to let Magdalena pass as she said "On jest policją."  
  
He was awe struck at the sight of her in a long dress of duck egg blue and teal. A knitted lace plum shawl with scalloped edges over her shoulders and her hair was braided, fixed with little cloth flowers that matched her dress.  
  
Smiling "I'm glad you came." she said.  
  
Producing a brown paper bag he found his voice to tell her "for your friend, Sara, the sick one?" Magdalena opened the bag.  
  
It contained several oranges and lemons, ginger root and a small jar of honey. "The American doctor at Leman Street always swore by this for bad coughs and throats."  
  
She smiled in thanks and turned back to the hallway as the door swung fully back.  
  
The whole hallway was now full of women who had now come out their rooms, interested in what was going on and he felt he was under mass scrutiny that made him feel uncomfortable, pulled at his collar and lower his eyes to the ground. He'd rather face Whitechapels roughest criminals than this lot's glare.  
  
Magdalena was now talking to her friend and explaining the bag. He heard Sara said "Thank you" in broken English. He looked back up to see the women grinning at him which made him feel more uncomfortable.  
  
"Shall we walk?" Magdalena gestured and closed the door behind her. The light had nearly gone from that evening but the street gas lamps were now being lit.  
  
Frank put his hat back on, cleared his throat and asked "Your meeting, with the owner of the workshop, it went well?"  
  
"Yes, Francis." She nodded, "it did. You know he is very much for temperance and it seems that he was already trying to find out about the fake workers as "a little bird told him" of this. But when I told him of Sara's ring and what had been found on him, he was furious. That bracelet you asked about, it was his wife's so Mr Woznick will not be back."  
  
"How low can that man go? That's biting the hand that feeds you!" Frank replied sticking his hands in his trouser pockets.  
  
"What did the Inspector do with him." inquired Magdalena.  
  
Frank gave her a grave look. "Don't ask." He said flatly  
  
"Our boss will not take on another Foreman. He has asked if we will do it" she said excitedly.  
  
"We?" replied Frank.  
  
"Aleksandra, Helena and myself." He noticed how happy she was at this statement.  
  
"It's means more money, Francis. All thanks to you."  
  
It was then Frank heard music. Strange, he thought for this time in the evening and that it was rather comical. Magdalena turned to him. "Have you heard Mr Majiecka and his dancing dog before?"  
  
He shook his head but was intrigued as they were obviously heading towards the sideshow.  
  
"He is a lovely old man, quite eccentric, but he loves his dog so much. The money he gets pays for his food and lodgings." she went on "and he knows everything about, and everyone in Whitechapel."  
  
They finally rounded the corner and under a street lamp, Mr Majiecka, one man band, and mongrel dog entertained the gathering onlookers. A hat had been placed on the ground for people to toss coins as he played his music. Frank felt sorry for the dog, trained to dance for the crowd by his master. Wasn't that what Shine was doing to Leman Street. Making them all dance to his tune?  
  
He decided to throw several farthings into the old man's hat as the walked by and entertainer nodded in appreciation. And that made Magdalena smile.  
  
As they moved away from the crowd, Frank stopped at fruit and vegetable cart and bought an apple, then he continued walking with Magdalena. He took out his pocket knife to cut it in half. Part of the knife's handle detached itself from the inner bolster but somehow with a little extra pressure he finished the job and handed one half to Magdalena.  
  
"Your knife, it is broken?"  
  
"Yes." sighed Frank. "My father gave it to me, gave it to me when I started coppering - he said it's a bit like him - broken but it's still got its point!"  
  
"Please Francis, tell me about your father and your family?"  
  
"Well" he went on "my Father was invalided on a coal barge, lost the use of his legs, you see. His friend, killed in that accident. My Mother died when I was 9."  
  
"My sister, she's my older sister, Lily .....well .... there's been something I want you to know Magdalena. ... you know when I took you to Inspector Drake’s office and my questioning ... it was very clumsy of me ... I said you were to sell yourself for money ... and you said ... well you know what you said ... Magdalena, I would never mean THAT ... GOD, NO ..."  
  
Magdalena could see he was struggling to tell her something else.  
  
"Lily, was in domestic service at 15 and after several months the man of the house, took, shall we say, advantage of her. Oh, she was so naive, Magdalena. So naive. By the time she was 17, she was pregnant and he had her thrown out . Then had her charged with 2 counts of soliciting on top of the whole episode. My father gave her such a hard time then she lost the baby. I could see her agony, it was heartbreaking. She finds it hard to get any permanent work now. Her reputation ruined by that man. It makes me the sole bread winner of the house."  
  
"It's a reason I joined the Police - that and Inspector Drake - he said that I was already causing havoc on the streets so I would be better off in H Division. I suppose he saw something in me."  
  
She noticed a brief smile on his face as if he was remembering a happy memory.  
  
Then Magdalena noticed his expression change, so she stopped walking and faced him. He looked troubled again. Yet she wanted to know more about him.  
  
"Your Sister, she looks after your Father?" She enquired.  
  
"Yes, but ... he is so bitter, Magdalena, it is like a poison, so angry against this world. I didn't realise how much it was affecting me, and Lily until recently. He sucks any compassion out of you ...." He did not go any further on this.  
  
"And you Magdalena. Your family from Krakow ?" he enquired.  
  
"My Mother also died when I was young." she began. "I was the only girl, the youngest, and 3 brothers. It was hard, I was expected to do everything in the house especially as I grew up, it grew harder. My only comfort was school when I was young, reading books and of course my friends, from my own town who felt the same as me. And as we grew older, we dreamed of escape."  
  
Magdalena dropped her gaze from Frank to the ground and stopped. He had told her of something painful, now she trusted him, to tell the rest of her story. He had stopped too.  
  
"Then my Uncle came. His wife had left him, his drinking, and he had no where to go. Then ..." Her voiced lowered.  
  
"He would try to catch me on my own ... it was ... no one believed me .... I ran away ... when I came back, I packed my things, and left. We all left, my friends. We left to find a better life."  
  
He could see tears in her eyes and it angered him to hear this. Why did men think that women where like possessions, to be used and thrown away when it suited them.  
  
Quietly he then asked "So what made you choose London, Magdalena?"  
  
"I know you will laugh at me if I tell you ... it was a story my Mother used to tell when I was small."  
  
"I promise Magdalena, I won't laugh."  
  
"Dick Whittington. And his cat"  
  
Frank smiled at hearing this. "My Mother used to tell this story also!"  
  
"And the Bow Bells of East London ring out" he announced. "Turn Again Whittington. Thrice Lord Mayor of London. But the streets of London ... Magdalena ....they are not paved with gold."  
  
"Yet whenever I hear the Bow Bells" he sighed as he looked towards the tower. "I do think of my mother."  
  
Frank turned to start walking again and Magdalena followed suit. She slipped her right arm through his left and he was taken by surprise at this. Perhaps she felt safer now, now that they had confided in each other of their past.  
  
"Magdalena, you said at the workshop you wanted to see me - was this for police business?"  
  
She did not reply immediately and kept walking. "I asked you to come because .... I wanted to ask ...no ... that's not right ...I never said - thank you."  
  
He turned to her, puzzled. "For what? For finding Sara's ring?"  
  
"No ..... yes ...." she stammered trying to find the right words. "Thank you - for saving my life!"  
  
He stopped suddenly "Look girl, I don't want you to be beholding to Frankie Thatcher. It's not my way!"  
  
"Well WHAT is your way Francis Thatcher?"  
  
"The lady Doctor at the hospital told me what had been done and I would not be here today, if it where not for you."  
  
"But it was the American surgeon who did the transfusion, Magdalena. Not me. He was the one who knew what to do."  
  
"But YOU were the match, Francis." She was now looking straight at him and gesturing with her hands. "Your blood matched mine and that saved me. Now I have your blood."  
  
He smiled. "So we are a match, in blood, Magdalena. You have Frank Thatcher blood in your veins. HAH! That might be a curse." He laughed.  
  
"So perhaps we are a match in other ways?" She said coyly, her gaze running from his feet to his eyes.  
  
He stopped and stared at her pushing his hat to the side to scratch his head. Did she mean? ..... He dare not believe it.  
  
"And the flowers? It has always been you, has it not?"  
  
"Guilty as charged" he laughed. "I didn't think you would guess so easily."  
  
It was quiet now and and an evening chill blew down Whitechapel as both of them stood on the empty street thanks to Mr Majiecka entertainment.  
  
Suddenly the wind caught strands of her blond hair, gently blowing them across her face and she tried to remove them. Frank reached out, catching them with his index and forefinger and gently pushed them behind her ear.  
  
She caught his hand as he did this, kissed it lovingly and pressed it against her cheek. He felt her eyelashes flutter against his fingers.  
  
She breathed in his cologne.  
  
The shawl began to slip from her left shoulder, but he caught it's edge and pulled it up again over her which drew her in closer to him.  
  
"Your shaking girl." began Frank "Are you cold or ...."  
  
Before he could finish his sentence she kissed him. So lightly on his top lip. Then the bottom. She looked straight into those marvellous blue eyes ...his beautiful kind eyes, she thought .... that always made her feel at ease.  
  
He wrapped his arms around her and she could feel the heat from his body and she was glad of it. He gazed down at her beautiful face and kissed her soft lips. He felt her arms slip under his jacket and around his waist as he did this.  
  
He could feel her heartbeat now as he kissed her again. A passionate kiss. Nothing else mattered now but her. Whitechapel stood still for the moment and all their worries fell away.  
  
She pulled back suddenly, a serious look on her face.  
  
"What Magdalena?"  
  
"There is something hard .... in your trouser pocket ....?"  
  
Before she could finish he said "Oh God .... OOPS." and frantically pulled his police handcuffs from his trouser pocket.  
  
"Sorry for that Magdalena" he apologised "Shine's orders. We carry these at all times. On and off duty. I never realised that ..." but she began to giggle. At least she could see the funny side of what had happened and it allayed his fears that she would take some sort of offence.  
  
"I better get you back to your lodgings before it gets too late" he said as he hugged her, grinning at what had happened.  
  
They walked back arm in arm talking about everything and anything but Frank made sure he steered the conversation away from any police business.  
  
Finally they arrived back at her lodgings, and stood on the steps. He did not want to leave her. She chased everything that was dark and evil out of his life.  
  
He took both her hands and kissed them. "So can I see you again?"  
  
She moved closer to him, said nothing but put her hands round his neck and kissed him.  
  
"I'll take that as a YES then?" He replied, kissing her, and drawing her close again.  
  
She put her head on his shoulder. It was a happiness that she had never felt before and she did not want it to end.  
  
"I have to go now, Magdalena, but you won't be entirely rid of me." and he kissed her forehead and left.  
  
He turned to look at her for the last time, she waved and watched him go.  
  
Breathing a heavy sigh of contentment, Frank Thatcher put his hands in his pockets and headed home.


	4. The Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Magdalena sees a uniformed police man standing across the street she is taken aback when she finds out who it is.

Frank Thatcher had not visited for 2 days - not even flowers - and she began to have an uneasy feeling that something was wrong.  
  
It was lunch time and Magdalena gathered her food to take outside with some of her friends and work colleagues.  
  
As she went out through the door she noticed a uniformed police man standing across the street. He began to approach her undoing his chin strap first, then took off his helmet. She realised it was Frank ... but his face, so strained ... drawn, and he was rubbing his forehead where his hat had been.  
  
A brief smile flickered over his face at the sight of her and she left her work colleagues behind, walking as fast as she could to meet him.  
  
With apprehension she inquired "Francis. What has happened?"  
  
He stared at the ground. "Something .... bad .. sorry Magdalena ....... police work and I cannot .... no .....I do not want it to touch your life."  
  
The emotional strain in his voice stopped her from pursuing her question further.  
  
She tried to change his mood by smiling and said "You look so handsome in your new uniform."  
  
"Even if this means demotion?" He replied bitterly, looking away from her but pointing to his uniform .  
  
He then retrieved something from his jacket pocket. A small black velvet bag with gold drawstring.  
  
But with a heavy sigh he said "Happy Birthday Magdalena."  
  
"How did you know?" She replied taking the little bag from him.  
  
"I am a policeman, am I not?" His mood had changed.  
  
She opened the bag a let out a small gasp. It was a silver filigree ring with turquoise stone.  
  
"A friendship ring and perhaps something more permanent ... later?" He said softly.  
  
She put the ring on and tears of joy came to her eyes. Then she flung her arms round his neck and kissed him.  
  
"Don't cry girl. Not now." As he wiped her tears away. "I need you happy today, even if it's just for me."  
  
"Happy! I think could dance through the streets of Whitechapel!" and she kissed him again, not caring if anyone saw them.  
  
He needed that right now. Especially on this dark, dark day. And what he had promised to Reid and all of its foreboding.  
  
Magdalena stepped back a little and brought something out from her skirt pocket. Something wrapped in a silk handkerchief and gave it to Frank.  
  
"This was left behind by Mr Woznick but I thought you could make more use of it. And the other girls in the workshop agreed."  
  
He opened up the handkerchief to reveal an ornate silver pocket knife with mother of pearl inlay.  
  
"Magdalena, this is too much." as he examined the knife and handed the kerchief back to her. But she folded his hand over it saying "This is for you as well." and smiled back at him.  
  
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "I'll keep it close to me ... always." He said.  
  
"Magdalena, I have to go." and he stood back a little from her. "There is something that I have to do and it won't be easy. It means you won't see me for several days."  
  
"Something evil at the heart of H Division. There are people who must be brought to justice."  
  
He took her hands and kissed them then lowered his voice and looked into her eyes. "But .....I don't want to trouble you with this ...... Magdalena, you are to good and pure to have this knowledge put upon you. It is a burden I must carry."  
  
She looked at him anxiously but gently placed her right hand on his cheek. "Francis you are worrying me!" Her eyes scanning his face.  
  
"A child has been murdered ... and more ..." but he tailed off. He did not have it in his heart to tell her of about the depths of corruption and terror that now lurked in H Division.  
  
He moved closer to her holding both her hands, looking intensely at her face. "Magdalena, just knowing you make me want to be a better, a better copper, a better man .... you are the sunshine that drives the darkness from my heart, the starlight that guides my way. And that ....you make me feel so alive, I love you so much ... god ... this is so hard for me to do Magdalena." He seemed crippled with emotion, tears in his eyes.  
  
She had now placed both her hands on his cheeks "Then DO what you have to do, Francis Thatcher. Do it and come back to ME. You promise?"  
  
"If I have to go to hell and back, I will Magdalena, I will, I promise." and leaned into her face and kissed her. And Whitechapel stood still for them. And he did not care that he was still on duty.  
  
He hugged her tight for the last time, kissed her on the forehead and stepped back. Then he took his chin strap and placed his police helmet back on his head and left.  
  
She watched him leave. "I will pray for you, Francis Thatcher." She uttered under her breath." Every day and every night ... until you come back to me ... safely."  
  
He turned to look at her for the last time, and then headed back to Leman Street.


End file.
